Prophecy
by Redspectacle
Summary: Link awakens one night from a horrible dream-a terrifying vision. But he's not the only one. People all over Hyrule have visions of atrocities. Many fall to insanity, and a strange suitor seems to have answers. Who can survive the chaos of deceit?
1. Default Chapter

Prophecy  
  
I  
  
IHis fingers could almost grasp it, could almost wretch the drowning girl from the torrential waters. Her face was obscured between the flood of whitecaps, and her voice was quelled by the waters that drowned her life away. He cringed as his fingers entwined with hers. It had never been hard for him before, but now it seemed that his superhuman strength, his will to dominate any 'ordinary' situation like this had completely evaporated. Like liquid, it seemed her hand slipped away from his in a nanosecond. He blinked, looked out to the sea. It seemed that he beckoned her name, and as he looked to the whitecaps upon the black, choppy waters, he could only see the pale, blond hair on her head bobbing distantly in the sea./I  
"Link! Oh, I can't believe you-it's almost eleven in the morning, and here you are as usual, dead asleep in bed. Don't you think that's disgraceful? There could be children in Lake Hylia, drowning-"  
He winced as he managed to drown out Zelda's voice. She'd been especially agitated lately, but then again, it wasn't unusual for the Princess to be a bit upset whenever her father had planned for a visitor to come. He bit his lip and pulled himself onto his feet, though not before receiving a harsh slap on the cheek.  
"Ow! Zel, what the Hell was that for?"  
"For saying what you did last night, right before you ran off to bed to avoid getting your due punishment."  
"I don't remember."  
"Hmph, how convenient whenever you're set for punishment, you never remember what you've done wrong!"  
He puckered his lips. "I'm sorry. I should know to be nice to you when you're crabby."  
That was all it took. In seconds, she'd stormed out of his bedroom.  
Chuckling, he moved into his private bathroom to be in complete and utter privacy. The dream still flowed heavily on his mind. He was never the one to prophecy of horrible things, and he knew for sure that what he'd seen wasn't a prophecy-- but what if it was? Zelda had always paraded around the Castle, declaring her sovereign leadership over everyone she met for the mere reason that she was able to see things that so many of them couldn't. Many villagers, peasants, even, came to the Princess looking for divine intervention-divine answers-in their everyday lives. What Link saw, however, wasn't a situation of winning money or anything like that at all. He saw black deaths riding in the sea. Was Hyrule destined to drown?  
There was a light knocking on the door, and he jerked his head upright to stare at his reflection in the mirror.  
"Yes?"  
"Link? It's Impa. Zelda's very concerned about you."  
"No, no, I'm fine. What time is it?"  
There was a pause as she answered.  
"Almost twelve."  
  
Link forked his salad around his plate, trying to create the illusion that he'd eaten at least some of it as not to hurt the feelings of the palace cooks. It wasn't that the food was bad-it was just that his stomach always felt full lately, and nausea plagued him nearly all hours of the day. The sun had risen several hours ago, and Zelda was still upset about the events earlier in the day. She'd figured that he'd gone back to sleep, although he was quite undecided on what had truly happened during that hour he'd thought he'd only been daydreaming for a few minutes. He bit his lip as he smeared a bit of dressing onto it, allowing his tongue to fork out to gather it up. Zelda wouldn't be pleased in hearing about what he considered to be a relevant cause for worry. Even he was unsure on whether or not his vision was reality. After all, he could remember in the back of his mind, he'd had terrible, realistic nightmares in the past, and Zelda had always reassured him that it wasn't just a dream. A few trickles of sweat streamed down his forehead.  
But what if it wasn't?  
He glanced to Zelda, who was seated at the other side of the table. Surely if something related to the Triforce or-Heaven forbid!-Gannondorf Dragmire, she would have warned him about her visions, her feelings of uneasiness. As far as he could see, however, Princess Zelda was at peace. Her father was preparing to resign from his title within five years, and for the first time in a century, Hyrule exhibited a peace foreign to neighboring allies overseas. Link knew that he should share that same peace, that same contentment and serenity. He and Zelda would be announcing their engagement in a few short weeks.  
Yet the dream still lingered in the back of his mind incessantly, like a plague slowly coiling around every vein and muscle in his body. He hated this sudden display of mental weakness within himself. He'd never been the one to worry so much-that had been Zelda's position throughout their adolescence, and as they both neared the age of twenty-one, both were beginning to settle down in their lives. Adventures had become less and less frequent, as the biggest threats were nothing that the Knights couldn't handle. Link stabbed lettuce onto his fork and shoved it into his mouth.  
Then again, Zelda was slowly becoming too subdued in her mannerisms. When King Harkinian brought up issues that she disagreed with, she merely shrugged her shoulders, cocked her head sideways, and shot him a sweet smile without as much as a word implying that she desired otherwise. Her longing for adventure had ceased, and the mention of a romantic moonlight horse-ride left her rolling her eyes and coiling in disgust. He could hear her oft-used answer ringing in the back of his mind:  
"Ugh, Link. We're not children anymore, and as we both know, that's all child's play. You don't have to romance me anymore, you know. Just be yourself-I'm much more content spending my days here, anyway."  
Apparently, Zelda had stopped trying to romance and impress him. It seemed she never wanted to do much of anything anymore. Perhaps her supernatural powers had slowly slipped away from her reign over the years as they become more and more unused. He lowered his gaze. Was it a good time to bring up the situation?  
He smiled. She was passing him a glass of wine.  
"Zelda, I think it's time I brought up something-"  
"Oh! Yes, certainly." His jaw hadn't even raised to the next word as Zelda added, "Daddy, Link and I are going to be married!"  
"Married!" The rotund King managed a merry chuckle and leaned back in his seat, a wide grin on his face. "My, Zelda, Link! This is wonderful news! I will make sure it's broadcast all over the Kingdom. The townspeople will love to hear that their favorite Princess and Hero are to be wed!"  
"Yes, yes of course, Daddy."  
As Father and daughter continued talks about their wedding plans, Link sank lower and lower into his seat.  
I So much for that attempt. /I 


	2. Visitor in the Night

II  
  
His heart quickened in his chest, a thin film of sweat forming on his palms. The narrow corridor was a shield against the light, and the burdensome cold and eerie silence sent chills up his spine. His clothing was insufficient, and as he looked to his sheathe, he realized that it was free of any weapon. Blinking, he sank against the iron bars of a cell. Where was he?  
It definitely wasn't North Castle, and if it was, it would have to be the dungeons-he'd never been down under in the dungeons before. As he was subdued by his ideas, something dark, something thick crawled up his leg.  
He swallowed hard, blinked as the beast slowly ascended up his body, like a dark tape that prevented him from moving any of his muscles to escape. He opened his mouth to scream, though the words were silenced within his chest from the burdensome fear. It covered his face and he couldn't breathe.  
Zelda. Where was Zelda? He could only concentrate on his lovely Princess, wondering if this beast would give her the same fateful undoing.  
  
Link awoke with a shudder from his bedroom, quickly leaning over to light the candle at his bedside. The soft glow of the candlelight calmed him slightly, although he was still just as shaken up. Biting his lip, he mumbled and rubbed at his eyes. Things were starting to get really crazy.  
He hadn't had two nightmares in a row for years-and even then, that had been when Gannondorf was using his power to gain complete control of Hyrule. Still, Gannon was gone, long sealed away in the Evil Realm-Rauru had promised that he would surely remain there, at least for the span of Link's and Zelda's lifetime, anyway. There had been many petty enemies of Hyrule, unsightly, gruesome, cunning little things that thought they could have the same potential as that ill-fated man of the deserts. None of them so far had been able to ignite such realistic, horrible dreams. He arose from his bed and listened to the sound of something rocking into the area.  
"What the Hell?" he mumbled aloud, quickly moving to his window. Peering outside, he could see an elaborate carriage far below in the courtyard. A peculiar-although handsome-man emerged from it, suavely brushing his dark hair back, swooping the right side of his cape over his shoulder to appear all the more appealing and elegant. There was a commotion for some time within the lower levels of the Castle before Zelda and her father emerged to greet the stranger. As the gentleman sank to a knee and kissed Zelda's hand, a twang of jealousy arose within him. He huffed.  
"What a bastard."  
Still, he couldn't help his brewing curiosity. He could detect that this stranger had a foreign accent, perhaps overseas somewhere-maybe Calatia, even the Navean Islands to the far southwest. In only a few moments, Link was able to pick up a good deal of information about his new subject of spying. This was Adrien Tariesk, Prince of the Navean Kingdom. His father was ailing, and preparing to die, Link assumed by the words that the fellow spoke, though he showed no great effort in appearing to be saddened by his father's impending departure.  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir Tariesk," Zelda had said, a smile crossed upon her pallid, soft lips. Basked in the moonlight, she more beautiful than ever. Link chewed on his lip in his jealousy, sighing heavily as his fiancée slipped an arm casually about Adrien's shoulder and ushered him inside. Link turned away from his window, huffing.  
"Well, I'd like to see someone like me show up in the dead middle of the night. Ah, that's right-you have to have a fan base of snobs and elegant people to allow such things!"  
He was tempted to punch the walls, but somehow, he managed to refrain. And an hour or so later when a knock came on his bedroom door, he somehow kept from becoming enraged. Upon request, he changed into the silk tunic presented to him and carried himself down to the Throne Room to greet his royal rival. As usual, he was less than eager; although for Zelda's sake, he managed to find the heart to appear at least half-sincere about his greetings.  
"Ah!" the foreigner exclaimed upon sight of Hyrule's hero. "If it isn't Link of-excuse me, is it the Kokiri Forest? Yes, yes, a land of mystical energy, indeed."  
"Fairies," Zelda corrected. Adrien seemed agitated at being justified, but he merely nodded and smiled.  
"And you must be Adrien Tariesk."  
"It's a pleasure to meet you.'  
A cold, limp hand wrapped around Link's in a rough handshake, bringing an amused smirk to Link's lips. Princes and Princesses weren't made for fighting, especially with swords and bows. That was why Zelda had picked him-or at least one of the reasons. He was strong and sturdy, and Zelda had always longed to have his protection. Then again, Zelda was very skilled with the art of magic. Link wasn't.  
And the people from the Navean Kingdom were unusually talented with magic.  
Link's heart fell as he pulled his hand back from the stranger's. Adrien's black eyes gleamed before he turned away, pacing to the Princess to again kiss her hand. What kind of game was the Prince trying to pull? Surely he had known that he and Zelda were engaged, yet he clearly showed a disrespect for that unity.  
Though, what if Zelda wanted to be with Adrien? There was clearly no reason why she wouldn't want to be. He was likely a powerful Sorcerer, skilled with magic just as Zelda was. She was powerful as was-and how safe would she feel with someone who was in the exact same boat she was? She and Link surely had a lack of the same experiences. Yet this Prince seemed to be the ideal image of a husband-and Link could feel discouragement rising within him. Hopefully Zelda wouldn't be so open to the Prince's passes next time.  
"Well, Link. We're very glad that you could join us. Zelda and I have already decided that tomorrow evening, we will visit Kakariko Village. My men and I intend to research Death Mountain-we feel perhaps we could find alluring cures to the known ailments, and we will post stake in the Village first."  
'And I hope you fall in,' Link thought.  
"What I meant to ask you, is, Link, would you be interested in accompanying us?"  
"Of course." He answered snappily. He would be crazy to leave his beloved in the hands of a lustful, money-hungry Prince.  
"Very well, then," Zelda said softly, arising from her Throne. "If you'll excuse us, Link, I'll be taking Mr. Tariesk to his suite for the night. My, he and his men have had an awfully long night." She shot Link a sweet smile, and Link was almost positive he could detect an arrogant smirk on Adrien's face. Zelda escorted him up the stairs and through the hallways. Link clenched his fists as King Harkinian approached.  
"Your Majesty, aren't you afraid that he seems a little.too open towards Zelda?"  
Harkinian blinked. "What do you mean?"  
"He seems a little too flirtatious, if you know what I mean. The way he looks at her, touches her."  
Link could sense a fidget rising in the portly King. He swallowed hard at his question.  
"Your Majesty, you didn't tell him that we're engaged, did you?"  
He smiled weakly, and with his cheeks a bright red, he answered.  
"No." 


	3. Love for One

III  
  
Link sighed softly as he trudged up the stairs toward his bedroom for the night. Harkinian had long ago retired, leaving Link to his private little worries. Aside from a ring and a few words of promise, there was little keeping him bound to Zelda. Jealousy hung greatly over his head. For so long, he had been the talk of the Kingdom, and being Zelda and he were the land's primary celebrities, there was always excitement when he wandered onto the streets to greet his admirers and fans. News of this strange suitor from afar would certainly fire youngsters up who still sought Link's hand in marriage-but there was no other woman, and it ached his heart to think of losing Zelda. Aside from Saria, there was no other person in the entire Kingdom that knew him so well as Zelda. How would he carry on living if she ended up marrying Adrien?  
He shook his head, his body gaining a tremor that he couldn't quite control. Tears poured down his cheeks as he furiously wiped them away, hoping not to catch the attention of maids or butlers wandering the halls. When he reached his bedroom door, he couldn't help but collapse against it and burst into tears. He had never felt quite so attached to Zelda, nor as protective of her as he was then. He'd just assumed all these years he'd only assumed that he would be taking Zelda down the aisle with him, and thus had taken her many times in his life for granted. He'd never taken into consideration that anything could snatch her away from him at any moment, and his blood ran cold. He knotted his fists and jammed them at his eyes, biting his tongue in an attempt to stifle his cries. In the wake of his sadness, he barely heard the tender footsteps approaching him.  
"Link?"  
He lifted his gaze to see Zelda standing there, adorned in a thin robe and an even thinner nightgown underneath. Her golden locks cascaded down her shoulders, furling into beautiful curls at the bottom. Swiftly, he brushed at the tears under his eyes and attempted a smile.  
"Hey."  
"Link, you're sitting in the middle of the hallway, bawling your eyes out. What's the matter with you? You never acted this way before."  
"Heh," was all he could manage at the time, blinking until the tears had dried before he looked to her. "What's the matter with you, Zelda? What's wrong with frolicking on the plains like we did when we were kids? It never hurt anybody and we sure had a lot of fun, and I don't know about you, but I'm not quite ready to take responsibility of a land that I've not even thoroughly explored yet. Your father hasn't handed down the Kingdom yet, so take advantage of it. And about that other guy-I'm supposed to be the only attractive guy in this Castle."  
She puckered her lips as if amused, pressing a kiss to his forehead.  
"Oh, Link. You're so silly sometimes! That's what you're crying about? Because you're jealous of Adrien?"  
"I'm not jealous of him, Zel, for God's sakes!"  
"Then what's the problem? You know I love you and you only."  
"You don't know?"  
"Know what?"  
"Zelda, he doesn't know that we're engaged! Your father set it all up weeks ago, before he was aware that I'd proposed. I suppose he thought that it wasn't going to work out between us, so he sent to his friend and found this guy to be your suitor. Zelda, we have to tell him-"  
"Tell me what?"  
Both Link and Zelda lifted their gazes to the dark man standing behind him. His hair was tousled as if he'd just aroused from sleep, that same smirk still playing on his gothic lips. His eyes flared with jealousy at first, before he settled in realization that he looked upon Link and Link only. With tender hands, it seemed, he pulled Zelda to her feet.  
"Come, darling. We've an early morning tomorrow, and as you know, we both need sleep very much. I trust that Link will be finding his way to his own bed, too?"  
"Yes-yes of course," Zelda whispered. Link stared pleadingly at her, hoping that she would tell him of their union. Still, she slung her arm about Adrien's back and smiled.  
"I'll escort you to your bedroom, Adrien," she had said softly as they started down the hall, Link staring after them.  
"You look as though you've got something on your mind," he suggested.  
"No," she answered softly, her tender eyes glancing back to look upon her heartbroken fiancée.  
"Nothing at all." 


	4. Wishing Well

IV  
  
The well water wasn't something Link would personally drink from. Black twigs and globs of mud plagued the filthy inner walls, forcing him to recoil back from it in disgust. Still, he could see the surface-and cringed as it started to fade away, the levels of water becoming lower and lower. Zelda had perched on the edge to stroke the water, although she stopped once she could no longer graze it with her fingertips. A smile had crossed his face as he approached her, though cruel intentions were on his heart. How dare she ignore his pleas, as if a stranger meant more to her than her very own beloved! How dare she treat him as if all the years of his work had been little more than a speck in history! He couldn't control himself. His hands flung out to her shoulders, leaving the Princess to teeter for only seconds before she toppled down into the wall. It seemed he could hear the flapping sound as her skirt caught the air in her fall, until with a dead split, there was nothing but the echo of a fallen comrade.  
Link wrenched himself from his slumber, brushing the cold sweat from his forehead. With a quick stride, he dressed himself in his grungiest tunic and leotards before grabbing his bow and steel blade. A smile formed on his lips. He couldn't wait to see what Adrien Tariesk would consider a dutiful, protective weapon. He also wondered if he was the only one experiencing his plaguing dreams.  
In moments, Zelda had joined Link outside his bedroom door, her hair neatly pulled back into a ponytail to highlight the beautiful bone structure of her face. Physically, she was quite weak, although very intelligent and skilled with the ways of magic. Eagerly, Link slipped an arm about her waist.  
"Hey, Zelda."  
"Oh, Link! None of that now! What exactly are you trying to prove?"  
He lowered his gaze slightly as she pulled from his grasp to meet up with Tariesk at the staircase. Biting his lip, he decided to tag along behind them, listening to their casual chatter of horseback rides in the moonlight and archery practice-things Link had always persuaded Zelda to do. As they neared the stables, Adrien paused and turned to Zelda.  
"I should hope I'm not intruding upon anything-" he paused to take a thorough, challenging glance at Link as if to intimidate the hero into silence before adding, "I would enjoy it very much if you would come out for a ride with me tonight, Zelda. We'll use my island's Navean stallions- very powerful breed made for endurance and speed."  
"It sounds wonderful, Mr. Tariesk."  
"Good. I'll fetch two horses for us."  
While Adrien vanished momentarily into the stables, Link couldn't help but send his glare to Zelda.  
"How nice. A moonlit ride! Huh, I guess it's okay to act like a kid when you're around other nobility."  
"Link! How can you say such a thing? He's just trying to be generous!"  
"Hm! How amusing it is that when I attempt to be 'generous,' you 'generously' shoot me down with a nice little refusal and an excuse packaged into a nice little rejection. How thoughtful of you, Zelda!"  
She huffed and glanced aside, chewing on her lip.  
"I can't believe you're acting this way, Link! Don't you see how immature you're acting-"  
"Excuse me," Adrien said softly as he emerged from the stables with two steeds in tow, a calm warning to keep himself from intruding upon any sacred conversation. "It seems there's a bit of a ruckus out here."  
"No," Zelda answered swiftly, glaring to Link as she mounted her selected horse. "There wasn't an argument at all. Link's just a bit under the weather, I suppose. Come on, Adrien."  
Link muttered under his breath as he rode solo upon a black horse, sacrificing his posture to remain complete in his solemn mood. Why was Zelda suddenly so interested in the dark-skinned Navean man? Of course there had been a bit of a change in the air just before the Prince's arrival, but things were suddenly magnified. The dreams were hitting closer to home. He was no longer seeing just random Hylians drowning in the far- away Lake Hylia in a situation that he couldn't control, but he was suddenly seeing himself destroying everything he had worked to accomplish with his closest family and friends. Never before in his life had he thought of hurting the Princess, yet suddenly, the idea stabbed into the back of his mind. What was wrong with him?  
"Link?"  
He lifted his gaze, a blush worming across his cheeks as Zelda glanced back to him, a tender smile on her face. How could he ever think of hurting such a beautiful woman? He returned her grin and shook the thought from his head. No more being jealous of Zelda's new friendship with Adrien Tariesk. He was the better man, and Zelda would surely see that. If she didn't, then there would always be a way to miraculously win her back.  
  
Kakariko Village hadn't changed much since Link last saw it. The windmill upon the distant hill still stood towering over the entire village, and the carpenters busily went about restoring classic landmarks. Zelda mused over the progress that had been done since her last visit.  
"My, Impa would have loved to come," she noted, and Link knew exactly why. Impa had grown up in that quiet little village, and it wasn't quite often that the nursemaid was given time off to visit the places she liked to go to. It was all too bad, because the woman had also been like a mother to Link.  
The path to the well was cleared, and as they passed, Link could see the eyes of villagers darting out of their windows before they themselves came stumbling down the paths to greet the Princess, their Hero, and the peculiar stranger. Mutters of "who's the second guy?" rang out amongst the crowd. Zelda giggled playfully as she looked to Adrien, forcing Link to glance away from all of it.  
"My people," Zelda addressed them, and her voice was so powerful that all of the heads in the crowd immediately turned to her. With a sweet smile, she added, "this is Adrien Tariesk, Prince of the Navean Kingdom. As you know, our Fathers have been good friends for quite a while, and it's with warmth in my heart that we welcome him to our Kingdom."  
There was applause, then deathly silenced as a villager asked, "Hero! What do you think of this man invading your territory?" After the silence, there was an amused laughter. Link could feel Zelda's look of uncertainty upon him.  
"I'm all right with it. Just because he's on a horse with her doesn't mean we're going to be separated. Love is forever, and we've made that pledge to one another."  
Seeming satisfied with that answer, the crowd moved toward the well. Curious, Adrien's lips puckered.  
"Well, dear Princess, whilst you socialize with your villagers, I must admit that I need to use a restroom."  
All too eagerly, a few citizens led the foreign royal to the outhouse, while Link and Zelda held hands and looked down into the well.  
"Finally, a few moments of peace and silence with you, Zelda. I'm sorry about my behavior earlier, I suppose I was just a little jealous." Zelda giggled and tweaked the tip of her lover's nose.  
"Link, you know you have nothing to worry about. I intend to tell Adrien the truth later tonight on our 'moonlit' horseback ride. I'm going to tell him in plain terms that we're engaged."  
"That's my girl."  
Link observed the area with a smile on his face. What would Adrien Tariesk, the arrogant one, think about this? He'd reclaimed his rightful ownership with Zelda as his loving fiancée-and soon, they would walk down the aisle together. Link shook his head. How irrational he'd been! Zelda wasn't the type of girl to be wooed by a stranger she'd meet less than a day or two earlier. She wanted someone she had known her entire life. Link entwined his fingers with hers.  
"Ew!" Zelda exclaimed. "It looks like some cleaning's needed. Look at all of this gunk!"  
Link lowered his gaze to the well's water. His heart seemed to fall dead in his chest, a useless piece of flesh occupying space within. He blinked.  
Black twigs and gobs of mud.  
Frantically, he grabbed Zelda's arm and pulled her close to him, so close that he could feel her chest rising and falling against his. He could hear her breathlessly questioning his motives-"what is it, Link? Link, what are you doing?", but it seemed as though his ears were deafened to the outside world. He could hear only the cries, the voices from within his dream. When he blinked and lifted his head, much of the water was gone and Zelda was toppling backwards. Warnings seemed to fire off in his head, but his muscles were frozen, locked. Thank God that Adrien had come.  
The foreign Prince looked as though he'd been next to Link the entire time, efficiently dropping down into the well to retrieve the drowning Princess. She had squirmed and let out a small cry as Adrien drug her over the edge an eased her onto the ground. Soothingly, he ran his fingers through her hair, planting a gentle kiss on her cheek. Link was beyond jealousy. What had happened?  
Even the townspeople looked puzzled, many of them blinking rapidly, rubbing at their eyes, questioning themselves to look for answers-but no one seemed to know what was happening. A furious Adrien lifted his head to Link, scowling as he bit his tongue.  
"You! What did you think you were doing?"  
"Me?" Link asked, shaking his head. It didn't fit him. He'd never been violent towards Zelda, nor had he wanted to-until that afternoon. He shakily clenched his fists.  
"I saw what you did! The Princess was just standing there so innocently, and like the crazed madman that you are, you shoved her in to drown! We all saw what you were up to, Link! You didn't even attempt to feign innocence and rescued her! Besides, I'm sure everyone saw you push her anyway."  
There was a dull outcry of agreement with Tariesk as the townspeople decided to trust his intuition. The Princess had opened her eyes, staring with a cultivated fear to Link, her blue eyes nothing more than swirls of disappointment, distrust. He shook his head as his eyes locked with hers. 'This isn't me, Zelda,' he wanted to tell her; 'this is all an elaborate joke. Please tell me I'm dreaming.'  
A guard hurried over to investigate the circumstances, and he was swiftly told of what had happened by the babbling of handfuls of mindless, compliant villagers who claimed to have seen Link's actions. It had seemed he'd blacked out to himself, but everyone else was telling a different story. He'd not only blacked out, he had tried to kill his own fiancée. In seconds, the burly guard had seized Link's wrists and roughly started dragging him away from the crowd. All of them cheered. Zelda stared. And Adrien smirked as his dark eyes gleamed.  
Link huffed.  
"What a bastard." 


	5. Infidelity

Author's note: I apologize for the distance between chapters. Not only did Blackout: 2003 cause problems for my household, I'm also preparing for Band Camp on Monday, August 18th. You probably won't hear from me again until the 25th-so, I'll try to make this the longest chapter that I can. Again,  
so sorry.  
  
V  
  
She could hardly breathe through the chain of tears that fled down her cheeks. How could Link betray her? Brushing at her cheeks, she managed to pull her face away from her pillow in a gasp. The air suddenly seemed so thick, so hazardous to her very existence. Blinking, she drew herself to the balcony, to stand and watch guard of the northern gates. For a long while, everything was silent.  
Soon enough, Zelda could make out the figures of three men-two dark, armor-clad warriors, and an obvious, distinguishable hero trudging in between them, head and eyes downcast. Tears welled in her eyes at the sight of him. He had been so normal, so tender, so free-willed before Adrien's arrival-but something had come over him. Their recent fights convinced her of that--but to the point of attempted murder?  
"Link," she had beckoned softly, although she knew he couldn't hear her, and a familiar tremble rose up her spine as tender hands grasped her hips, and a sturdy chin leaned against her shoulder. The liquid "hello, Zel," soothed her soul. She eased back against the stranger, longing to be taken away in gentle arms.  
She tilted her head back, in the darkness catching a glimpse of ebony hair, deep maroon eyes and fierce, garnet lips. Her heart fluttered in her chest, like a deep, burdensome secret burying itself in the pit of her stomach. Adrien's hands slid to her rear, forcing her to bite down on her tongue from his squeezes. He wasn't supposed to be in her sleeping quarters, but it felt good to have him there, felt good to have him showing her gentle affection. Link was, although a helpless romantic, quite possessive in nature-- after seeing him defeat the evils of Hyrule, fear had played on her heart. For too long, the Kingdom of Hyrule had taken advantage of his divine nature-and Zelda couldn't blame him for losing control. She herself was losing it as her eyes locked onto Adrien's.  
"Your father is taking care of everything, Princess. There are reports as far as Gerudo Desert of people experiencing painful visions, as you will. They say they are seeing the future in their dreams."  
"And my father is taking care of it, I trust?"  
"Of course he is," Adrien answered, running his fingers gingerly through her golden locks. "It could be a result of famine. Even Kakariko Village and Lon Lon Ranch have been unable to provide adequate amounts of food for the people. The peoples of the desert, of course, are surely having an even harder time locating food and water. They're seeing illusions, mirages on the horizon."  
"Perhaps they are. Though I must admit, Sir Tariesk, I'm more concerned with the welfare of my attempted murderer."  
"Welfare?" Adrien had almost choked, recoiling from her in horror. Despite the darkness, she could see his twisted lips and eyes-his gaze upon her as if she were mad. She blinked, glancing back to the balcony. The guards and Link were no longer in sight.  
"You must understand, Adrien. I'm engaged to the man!"  
"Engaged to a man who wishes to have your head in his hands? He's money-hungry, Princess! So concerned with the power of authority that he doesn't give a damn if you were to perish, my beloved Princess. Perhaps the Goddesses of Hyrule are giving you your signs."  
"Signs?"  
"He is not the one for you, Princess. Wake up from your dreams, my love; there will be no more dances and sweet kisses, but only misery and death."  
She blinked tears back as he approached, his face set solemnly as he gripped her shoulders. She recoiled from him, sinking onto her bed. The truth was devastating. Wretched. Horrible. She would much rather hear of lies as he sank before her, holding her hands in his frigid, cold ones. With a shudder, she gaped down at him.  
"He is a fighter. You are a lover. Can you imagine now how many nights you'll be sitting here in this vacant Castle, waiting for him to return from his affairs? And you know what kind of affairs I mean, dear Zelda; prostitutes love figures connected to nobility. He will lay the majority of nights with strange women. He will be off in wars to see the death and misery he was born to battle and slay. Your destiny is here in this Castle, thousands of miles from his area of expertise. Loneliness will dominate the remainder of your life."  
Tears flooded from her eyes, forcing her to bury her fists into them. How could he say such horrible things about Link? Of course, he'd not always been there, but how could anyone force blame at him? He was doing his job by keeping Hyrule safe, just as she was by managing the Kingdom's affairs from finances to treaties.  
But there were nights when she had cried. He had never come.  
There were afternoons when she had wanted to go to Lake Hylia, to see the Hylian plays, to scale Death Mountain without the worry of a long- strung battle, without being hugged by a sweaty, battle-torn fiancée. Perhaps she had been disillusioned all along, played by the tempter of all men. She blinked and shook her head.  
"I suppose you're right, Adrien," she commented weakly, slowly brushing her hair from her face. "After this incident, I'm not entirely positive that Link is the right one for me. I swear it was like a dream, like my head was spinning on my shoulders when I was pushed. I don't recall feeling any sensation-like being pushed-when I feel back. Perhaps I only tripped, Sir Tariesk."  
"Shh. Princess, you're in denial of his wrongdoings-and such is completely understandable. My greatest concern is for your welfare."  
He slid beneath the sheets of her bed, invitingly patting the vacant space beside him. Such was completely inappropriate, but it felt good to deny her royal roots, to do things that would shame both her father and Link. Her eyes gleamed as she sank into bed beside him. Adrien was so warm, so kind that she didn't have the willpower to deny his wishes. Best of all, he loved her. Adrien would never hurt her. And Link would never know of her infidelity. She bit her lip, blinking as Adrien's hands caressed her bosom.  
  
They were through anyway. Finished for good. There would be no wedding.  
It was all she could do to convince herself. Lust claimed her body as she pulled him closer to her-and he didn't seem to mind the moral issues surrounding their works. His hands slid liquidly up her thighs, forcing her to buckle over in pleasure. Link had never touched her in a sexual manner, never made her so obsessed with arousal. Adrien worked like a professional, slowly lifting her dress to her waist. She had never been forced to wear the chastity belt as so many of her female predecessors had been before marriage. She was a free woman, in supreme control of her body. Adrien eased her underneath him, allowing her to touch his bare, muscular shoulders. A playful giggle arose from deep within her.  
"You're a beautiful woman, Zelda," he whispered, stroking her cheek. She closed her eyes, allowing him to ease his head between her breasts, allowing him to touch her wherever he pleased. Excitement arose through her private places, like a silent warning, a ticking time bomb that couldn't be heard as she gently lifted her hips. He was enjoying himself, she knew. His lips were curled into a wide smirk as he slid his slacks down to his knees. And then fear welled inside of her.  
"Adrien," she said softly, biting her lip. "Anyone could walk in and see-Impa, my father, even Link. We shouldn't be doing this-we both know that. I'm to be chaste until my wedding."  
He chuckled darkly. He didn't seem gentle anymore as he grasped her chin, pressing his lips harshly against hers despite her squirms.  
"Princess, you're being absurd if you think that you're chaste. You like being touched. And quite frankly, I never want to stop touching you."  
"Link," she managed to whine. "I'm with Link, Adrien. I never want to be with you."  
His eyes locked onto hers. They seemed to boil with rage, a dark film basking the whites of his eyes, a fierce garnet illuminating his irises and pupils. Enraged, he arose from the bed, slipping his slacks up to his waist. His eyes never fled from the frightened Princess. He chuckled once more.  
"Link is done for, Princess. His murder attempt will stop him from ever touching you again. You're as good as mine, and I'm as good as yours. Don't hide your lust, beautiful. We have our urges. I'll be talking to your father this very night on grounds of marriage."  
"Tariesk!" She exclaimed from her bed. His eyes wandered back to her, such a burning hatred in them that she was intimidated into silence. With a vile smirk on him, his eyes wandered over her bare private.  
"I suggest you get dressed," he hissed. "You little whore."  
She blinked.  
He was gone. 


	6. Innocence

VI  
  
Link awoke with a gasp, the frigid air coiling about his lungs, choking him as he pulled himself upright from his cot. With a groan, he realized he wasn't in his own lovely quarters-but the dank dungeon cells underground. The noises cascaded down the halls of inmates much like it was a zoo-but there had never been enough crime in the city to have so many prisoners. Link bit his lip. Were people erupting into chaos? Were they seeing his visions, too? Were they losing control-even sanity?  
On shaky legs, he grasped the railings of his cell and leaned heavily against them. Every part of his body felt so numb, and in the dark, hellish dungeon, he couldn't tell if he was bleeding or not. Townspeople speculated that there were so many deaths in the dungeon because of unsanitary conditions, they said, large rats that ate the flesh off the living bones of people. He shuddered, extending his arms through the cage, weakly gasping for help. Others chimed the same plea in the cells around him. Many looked like fine gentlemen-politicians, perhaps, all of Hyrule's finest wizards, even certain women. One of them caught his eyes, her lips puckered into a docile, exasperated frown. A grin washed over his face as he fled towards her, although the woman was more than two cells away.  
"Impa," he beckoned softly. She didn't look too pleased to see him in her same squalor. Her hair was unkempt, greased in unruly directions, her skin was blotted with black patches of filth and grime, and her body looked terribly weak. She sank back onto a cot.  
"I-I suppose they have found you too, Link."  
He pressed his face to his cell bars. Something was terribly wrong.  
"Impa, what are you doing here?"  
"Nothing. I've done nothing at all that I know of. I was there, playing Zelda's lullaby in my quarters, and then these strange men came into my room. No, they were very large men, wearing the blackest armor I have ever seen-perhaps His Majesty decided black would be more tasteful a color," she said sourly. "As I was being dragged down here, I overheard men saying that since The Navean Prince has postponed his excavation of Death Mountain, he's decided to make an extended residence herein the Castle to assist the King with his decisions."  
Anger arose through Link's veins. He had done everything in an attempt to save Hyrule and salvage his relationship with Zelda, but it seemed that nothing had quite worked. He'd lost everything he had always feared he would. Adrien had walked directly behind him, picking up the remnants of Link's shattered life to selfishly enjoy as his own.  
"Link," Impa beckoned, her eyes solemnly set upon him. "They have nothing by which they can prosecute me. But the villagers of my hometown are saying they clearly saw you push the Princess. And they claim you were quite conscious."  
"Impa, I swear on the name of all three Goddesses that I would never hurt the Princess. I love her more than anything I've ever been blessed with. Both you and the King have been like parents-to the both of us. You know how eager Zelda is to see her father walk down the aisle, and even better, her nursemaid-her mother-sitting there in the front aisle to see her daughter off in a blissful marriage."  
Impa's lips puckered. "I don't believe you did it either, Link."  
"Thank Goodness. Impa?"  
"Yes?"  
"What do your people think about your imprisonment?"  
Her gaze fell to the floor, and the impulse to apologize overwhelmed him. With somber eyes, she paced to a small window, a minimal source of light, staring out it. Her lips opened so slowly, and in the light, he could see that she was deathly pale.  
"I suppose they're extremely happy, proud of their soon-to-be Prince, Sir Tariesk. We have all been imprisoned for a day or two now, and, Tariesk traveled to Kakariko Village to make an announcement. Before he even spoke, all of them were screaming that they had seen what had happened. But there's a consistency problem, Link."  
He blinked, a smile washing over his face.  
"Some of the people who claimed to have seen you could not have. There is one family in general whose error came to light after they mentioned being away to Lon Lon Ranch for the weekend, yet they say they also saw your works despite the fact that they were at the Ranch the entire time."  
"Impa, this is wonderful! Although-what about the rest of the people here?"  
"Journalists," she answered softly, "the finest at their crafts. The finest soldiers and Knights are here, the finest journalists, of course, the greatest politicians, and otherwise, the most influential people in the Kingdom."  
"So everybody who's even slightly important is behind bars."  
"Yes. Everyone who could influence the public is here-everyone who could oppose Adrien Tariesk."  
"Impa-what are you implying?"  
"You know what I'm telling you, Link. That man is a detestable mastermind. He's successfully convinced the King to lock so many of us away. I doubt the Princess is even aware of half of these disappearances."  
With a sigh of relief, Link sank back against his cage. There was hope with Zelda yet. Maybe everyone in the prison was perfectly innocent of any crime they'd committed. Everything would eventually be normal again.  
But how long would it take? 


	7. Mind Changer

VII  
  
Zelda ate in silence as she sat alongside Adrien, though he seemed calmer than he had the past few days. He quietly joked amongst a few of the palace servants, and affectionately stroked her hand and cheek. It seemed everyone had forgotten about Link—even her father. They instead fixated upon Adrien and never mentioned Link, almost as if the Hylian Hero had floated away into their dreams. For Zelda, the thought of an affair was no longer amusing—the idea of being with a handsome man like Adrien frightened her instead.  
"Zelda, it seems your people are already worshipping me as their future King. We are already becoming quite the couple."  
"We are not yet a couple, mind you," she hissed. He smirked and pressed his lips to her ear.  
"Princess, princess. We both know what is best for you! Most importantly, I think it will make you the happiest you've ever been."  
"Happy with you? I could never be pleased," Zelda bit her lip and wrenched her shoulder free of his grasp. His cold eyes lingered along her before he glanced away, back to the King at the opposite end of the table.  
"In one week, I seek to marry your daughter, Your Majesty. Do you approve of me?"  
"Yes, certainly," Harkinian answered warmly. "I approve greatly of you, Adrien. Your father must be very proud of you."  
"Indeed, he is."  
"Daddy!" Zelda cried, moving to her father's side. "Daddy, I don't want to marry Adrien! I'm in love with Link. Daddy, please! Say something!"  
"Zelda, we both know what is best for you. This will make you the happiest you've ever been."  
Zelda clamped her eyes shut and backed away from her father, fleeing up the palace staircase as her tears fell freely. She fell against her bedroom door, forcing it open and stumbling to her bed to weep. Everyone had been acting differently since Adrien's arrival, almost as if his every word was as good as coming from the lips of the Goddesses. He followed into her room soon after her, lightly touching her shoulder.  
"You're a wizard, aren't you, Adrien?"  
"I am Adrien, my lady."  
"I know you're a liar! No one else can see it, but I can! Link never meant to hurt me at all—did he, Adrien? You just wanted him out of the way!"  
"Indeed. Yes, I greatly longed to have him out of the way. See, I am a magnificent wizard, a wonderful mage, a talented warlock—skills that boyfriend dearest obviously lacks. So, seeing as how badly I wanted you—I decided to push him out of the way. With what, you ask? Simple. I have within me the power to manipulate minds and to change memories, tweaking them to my advantage. It was just recently granted to me, mind you. One-by- one, I have taken the admiration of your people, from Kakariko Village to Gerudo Valley. If you get rid of me now, Princess, anarchy will surely follow you. If I am gone, your people will rebel. Your head will be on a silver platter."  
"Daddy!" Zelda shrieked, brushing past him. The truth had been unveiled, and she sought to tell her father everything that had happened. Tears rushed down her eyes as Adrien gripped her shoulder, and Harkinian appeared at the door, forcing it open to look upon her.  
"Daddy, I—"  
"Your Majesty, Zelda has just confessed that what occurred at Kakariko Village was a suicide attempt."  
Harkinian's eyes widened as he seized his daughter's wrist.  
"Zelda! Is this true?"  
"Most certainly it is, your Majesty. I suggest that she be kept in solitary confinement until she can find her head. The girl is quite obviously severely depressed and unable to make her own choices and decisions. Do you agree it is in her best interest?"  
"Of course."  
"And also," Adrien said with a smirk, "I demand the hanging of the Hylian Hero. Do you comply?"  
A silence followed before Harkinian nodded. 


	8. Punishment

Link shuddered as the pale sunlight streamed through the narrow window of his cell, stirring from his slumber as the roosters cry out. He brushed the sleep from his eyes and lifted his head, noting the unusual demeanor of the guards. Usually they were boisterous men, but that morning, they lingered with their jugs of ale at their sides, their heads slightly downcast, their eyes locked upon their faded hero. Link stood and moved to the gates, snaking his slender arms through the bars.

"Why are you all just staring at me like that for? Is it that amusing to you that we're locked in here?"

"Link," Impa called sourly.

"Amusin'? Charlie!" A fat guard called. "Charlie, he ain't know what's happening to him! Poor thing! Must be a horrible day for him, huh!"

"He don't know?" Charlie repeated before erupting into a callous, edgy laughter. "He don't know what be happening at sundown! A might bad day for him!"

"Link," Impa called faintly. Gritting his teeth, the hero moved to the edge of his cell to examine Impa's frail form.

"What are they talking about, Impa?"

"Tariesk has just given his latest orders; he has invited everyone to be beside Lake Hylia this night at sundown. The forest-dwellers will not come, but those from the lowest and hottest of valleys to the highest and tallest of mountains will be coming to witness it. They are going to hang those opposing Tariesk twice a week until every opposition has gone. And they have chosen you to be first. Everyone in this kingdom has turned against us, forgotten the good that we have done for it..."

"Hang?" Link whispered. It felt as if he had been socked in the gut, tears gleaming in his blue eyes. His lips trembled as he turned his head away. Impa edged as close to him as she could.

"Don't cry! The Goddesses will not let injustices such as this pass on without punishment! Surely you know that; Farore has smiled down upon you, child, and Nayru smiles upon Zelda. The Goddesses shall not suffer that its courageous hero shall die, not so soon after he has done so much for them."

"What shall we do, Impa? He can manipulate anyone from his gaze alone. He managed to turn everyone but me--and apparently, you. Everyone who could be a threat was locked up from him. And the others were manipulated. Had I known a powerful wizard would be coming to Hyrule rather than a simple Prince, I would have..."

"There's nothing that we might do now, Link. We will have to plan carefully for this evening, and shall the Goddesses will it, we will find a way to save you, Link. And we will send that wicked Navean Prince back to the recesses of Hell that he came up from! I'm sure that Zelda sees now what she has done wrong. The guards talked earlier of how she has been locked in her chambers upon order of her father. Even Zelda is a threat to Tariesk now. I suspect his desire all along was to woo and marry her, and then murder her to steal away the throne. If we had suspected from the start..."

"Zelda's locked up...I think she's our only ally, Impa. What are we going to do? When are you scheduled for?"

"Right after you," the old woman lamented. "But I am beyond the normal lifespan...I have been alive for quite a while. I should rather that I perish than a child who has just begun his life. If you died, there would be no one to care for Zelda. She would simply wither away. Therefore, the Goddesses must do something. They will not stand around.

"But we have little time, child. From what I have heard from the guards, Tariesk is fixated upon humiliating you before he kills you. They say he intends to throw you into the mud pit for the pigs; he intends to put you in shackles. And then he shall have you stand for hours with a noose about your neck to be yelled at by the people whom once loved you. But don't be fooled by them...they remember not what was before. All's they know is this possession they have undergone. If you are to go...all of Hyrule shall perish. I hope that your heart can overcome all, Link. Mine is simply too faint in my old age."

Link shuddered from the chill sweeping over his cell as Charlie came closer and peered in at the unfortunate prisoner, grinning with his gnarled, rotted teeth as he clumsily opened the cell and seized Link's wrist to drag him outside.

"Look, mates! It's the boy who didn't know what was 'bout to fall on him tonight! Foolish things get twelve hours to live and he just found out! Har, har...so, 'hero,' how do you challenge your fate! You going to do them swashbuckling moves everyone talks about? Pray tell, boy, pray tell! Will the wizard Prince release the people from his wicked spell so that you might fight back?"

"He is a wizard," Link countered. "And when this is done and over with, you will all beg like hounds for my forgiveness..."

"A smart mouth he has on him! Wonder if it will serve him all the way to the Kakariko Graveyard!"

The faint laughter among the rows of cells eventually died out, fear gleaming in the eyes of every prisoner. Link soon found his wrists shackled behind his back as he was led like an animal out into the sunlight of the courtyard. He was met by Tariesk, whose eyes glinted like cold steel.

"There has been a change of plans, gentlemen. No need to humiliate the pig just hours before his death. He is a wizard, and anyone who stares into his eyes will fall prey to his evil. Therefore, let us make haste to Lake Hylia. We'll take the prisoner in my carriage, let him release his last statements to the people. He will hang beside the water, and his body will rot there for days before I dare take it down. The people deserve the right to desecrate him...

"But make haste. Zelda does not take kindly to our orders, for she herself has been possessed by him. Take no time. He will not be hanged at nightfall, he will be hanged as quickly as possible. Go, swiftly! Bring the carriage! The rain is beginning to fall..."

Fall it did, blinding Link's eyes from anything around him. He was forced into the carriage like a dog, and only when he sat in that eerie silence did his blood run cold and his heart fail him.

The prospect of death was more frightening than he had ever imagined.


	9. Then

THEN

"This one, Link? I think that you should dress in better than a tunic for a wedding. Then again, you are Link, and you will do anything you want regardless of whether or not I tell you to do it..."

"Well, I did do one thing you asked me," he answered, a cocky grin plastered to his face. She shook her head at him and politely set the proposed suit back on the shelf where it had come from, much to the disappointment of the Hylian folk who were expecting to sell their greatest wares to Hyrule's richest patron.

They had parted only shortly, she in her magnificent castle and he with the Kokiri, but by some compelling force or another, they had found themselves quickly reunited. What began as a tender friendship soon escalated into a union that Link had not expected himself to be in. Harkinian had taken well to his daughter's young lover all those years ago, a smile on his withered, wrinkled face.

"I could wear one of your father's suits, Zel. He's got more than enough, and just like you, he has so many, it's not like anyone will even remember it from some...other recent engagement. I never remember."

"You don't remember anything, Link! Our anniversary, my birthday..."

"I keep a calendar now, Zel," he answered softly. Deflated, she turned back to the shelves and began looking through the suits.

"That doesn't matter, Link. I'm not marrying you because of your...'great' memory, or your courage, or the fact that you could save my life before I even blinked an eye. All the people see this one side of you--everyone in Hyrule sees a hero. Not the person, like I do. I suppose they just think that you can go on forever defending everything, and the day that you stop, they will hate you. People are already making angry talk about my father stepping down soon. But even when you put that sword back in its sheath and you take off those dusty boots...you're still a hero whether or not you can slay dragons and evil wizards and all those sorts of things. And--"

"Zel, you're getting all sappy in a public place."

"Link! Well, I hope everyone hears how wonderful you are as a person. Kind, caring, and selfless...I think that you would give your life for anybody else's."

"Your's only," he murmured.

"Link! Well...I guess that is something to feel flattered about, isn't it? Though Nayru has not sent me any visions as of late about sacrifices. I'll let you know once I have them."

"Zelda...you said once before that once Gannon was sealed up, you stopped having visions and dreams. What do you think happened?"

"Link! Oh, you're horrible for me; I can never keep to one subject when I'm around you. But, I don't know what happened then. Though, my books have said many strange things about visions. Some sorcerers are so adept in magic that they can silence the visions of the gifted, and they can unveil them to others...perhaps as a threat, perhaps just to warn someone that they might favor. And sometimes, there are sorcerers so incapable that they cannot control the powers they unleash--it manipulates everyone, some favorably, some unfavorably. It has been used before in ancient worlds--kings and the like would use them to hush their opposers. It's a frightful thing, but...who knows? Perhaps I only stopped dreaming because the evil was gone, and there was nothing to dream about."

Link eased his arms about the woman's hips, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair, admiring the tender sound of her laughter. He had, unknown to Zelda, dreamed of his marriage to her since the day he had first seen her peering into the castle windows from the courtyard, her headpiece obscuring her blonde head from view. Years later, he was running his fingers through her hair, finding himself increasingly closer to being bound to her for life.

"I would do anything for you, Zel."

"And I for you, Link."

"In sickness, and in health?"

"Nothing can keep me against you," she snickered.

"For long, that is."


	10. In the Dark

The afternoon was a bit chillier than Link had expected, no doubt from the rain penetrating his clothing; his blond locks were soaked and plastered to his forehead. Even through the mists he could see the gallows lingering before him, a few unidentified others already standing idly with the nooses about their necks. The thought of standing next to those sorrowful people himself stole his voice away from him.  
Adrian Tariesk was the last to make his departure from the carriage, and he had harshly dragged Link along after him in a haste to get to the gallows. Though, Link thought it strange that Adrian was fixated upon a particularly short, plump old homemaker whose brown eyes had long since faded. The woman leaned forward and raved to the others as a small crowd of revelers gathered about to watch. Link knew well that some of them were there to mourn a hero already a dead man—and others jeered, hatred gleaming in their eyes.

"So, Link. Are you terribly honored? This woman up here must surely hate you, and so should her husband. I couldn't give you the glory of hanging all by yourself up there, could I? I decided that we'll have an all-night hanging party, and next week, it will happen every week. You really should have convinced your dungeon friends that their dreams…their…visions, if that's what you insane ones call it, were nothing but disillusions. Yet you simply strung them along—not that it matters. The handmaiden will be coming just before sundown for her hanging. His Majesty should be here shortly to watch."  
"You've kept Zelda from this," Link hissed.  
"Oh, that girl's smarter than you give her credit for. I don't know if I blatantly admitted what I intended to do, but I'm sure she can put two and two together. Then again, she is a blonde, isn't she?"   
"And to think you got so popular even with a horrible sense of humor. I'm almost stumbling to laughter to humiliate you. Then again, I am the nice guy, aren't I?"  
"Oh, Link…haven't you heard that adage? 'Nice guys finish last'?   
"Aren't you just full of clichés."  
"It's better than what those gallows are going to be full of a week from now."

The old woman leaned forward, hissing to the executioners through her teeth as she surveyed the crowd. Link could feel a certain fear burrowing in his heart as he was lead in an icy grip to his particular section of the gallows. He clamped his eyes shut as the shouts echoed throughout the area while a stiff, rigid rope was slowly eased about his neck. The way that it brushed against his tunic bothered him most, knowing that it would soon seize up and snap his neck. He shuddered and looked back to the crowd, trying to fixate his attention on something else. Impa had been wrong when she assumed that he had the heart to conquer all—somehow, his providential assistance had failed him.  
And then from the darkness came a voice, small and unpleasant but somehow powerful and comforting. The woman next to him bristled with anger and calmness at once, her brown eyes brightening as she addressed the crowd. Some drew nearer and listened.  
"Fools. All of you are fools and I cannot find it in my soul to let this go unpunished. May the Goddesses do what they find appropriate in all of this…and let Hell have mercy that it will all spit you back up should you ever head down that blazing path.  
"I have been a mother and grandmother in Kakariko for thirty-seven years; my bones are broken down and I am weary. Rumors have passed through the dungeons about visions and we all wake up in terrible sweats, thinking and speaking of the same things that we have dreamed. I think not that it is a rumor. It is fact, and the rest of you simply blot out your dreams in your terrible mistrust.  
"The Hylians had their visions once, a sixth sense great and powerful, and we have all let that semblance of thought and insight go to the words of the politicians. They have given their damn lies and you have eaten them up as if they were nothing but pure, uncorrupted truth. Adrian Tariesk is a liar and you shall see it, what he has done to your mothers, cousins, neighbors, enemies, and brothers! What he has done to your hero, and how he has silenced your king. Will you close your ears more, or will you finally listen?"

A heavy silence fell, and the crowd exchanged glances: glances of anger and glances of acceptance. Tariesk, from no known place in the crowd, emerged quite suddenly and gave his gestures.  
"Hang them! People giving their grandiose speeches when their time is already gone! These executions will go forward as an attempt against the throne…it shall not go on, this rebellion! Shall it, Your Majesty?"  
A feminine voice came forward.  
"No, the executions shall certainly not."  
Link squirmed a bit, though he could feel that rope brushing roughly against his neck. By some chance or another, Zelda emerged from the crowd, King Harkinian in tow. Tariesk simply look aghast, his tan complexion considerably paled as he chewed on his lip and glanced to the people.  
"Not another word, Adrian. Should your father know that in your land and money hunger that you manipulated an entire Kingdom, he shall certainly have it worse for you than my daughter and I shall. Bloody traitor. If it were not for the laws that my kind daughter has proposed, you would certainly be hanging up there instead." He glanced to the gallows. "Release the woman, the man, and Link. They of all people deserve to be up there least."  
Link heaved a sigh of relief as that rigid rope was torn from his neck, and he quickly made his way down. On instinct, he reached for his blade to find that his scabbard was not there. He curled his lips back into a snarl and narrowed his eyes, lingering behind the panicking Navean Prince. The man had easily been cornered.  
"I will explain later, once I have had something to eat. Until then, I am not going to bother telling you the story. It's simply an exhausting one, really."  
The Prince drew in a large breath, and out of the corner of his eye, Link spotted the man racing toward the shore. Several canoes docked at the shoreline, and he swiftly made his way into one and paddled his way along. Link started forward, though he was quickly drawn back by Harkinian. Neither had anticipated Zelda's dash to the shore to catch up with Adrian.  
"Zel!"   
Link could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he tore his arm free from Harkinian's, moving swiftly after Zelda. As quickly as she reached the shore, she had easily found herself swallowed up in the blackening waters. Link eased in himself after her, the cold water burrowing deep into his flesh like stabbing knives. The storm battered the lake so badly that he could scarcely see Zelda's blonde head bobbing before him. He himself struggled to stay afloat, terror sweeping through him once again as Zelda temporarily vanished beneath the surface, then came up again gasping for breath. Link grabbed her arm.  
"You have to head back now! We can see the shore from here…I'm a stronger swimmer than you are. Trust me, Zel."

"But it's just like when we were kids, Link! We'd have all sorts of adventures and we'd defeat the bad guy, and…"

"I don't think it's going to be that way this time, Zel."

She gaped at him for a few moments before lowering her head, some semblance of tears starting to form in her crystalline blue eyes. Link draped an arm about her and kissed her forehead before grazing her lips, pressing her to himself for just a little longer. She lifted a dainty hand and stroked one of his ears before she abruptly broke away, nodded, and headed back to shore. Link, in the meantime, headed out deeper into the water as the sun began to set.


	11. Finale

FINALE

Link's arms pounded the waves as they were hurled at him, and somewhere in the mist, he could see Tariesk sitting quite calmly in his canoe, his fingers grazing the blackened waters before he looked up, a smirk spreading across his lips. Link draped himself over the front end of the canoe, staring at his enemy.

"Well. I suppose my magic hasn't exactly been doing its just this past few days, has it? For the general population, that is. You were never easy to manipulate. The others proved of far less difficulty for a wizard of my calibur."

"Why did you subject all of them to that?"

Adrien tilted his head back, emitting a hearty sigh.

"Oh, I wanted a combined kingdom, but I never wanted a wife. Besides, life behind the castle walls studying everything and yet never having a place to use it…is utterly disappointing. I finally had a test drive to do what I wanted, and it worked."

"It's sick that you're so proud of it," Link spat. He drew himself atop the canoe, and the small structure began tilting and tipping. Adrien tilted in the other direction in an effort to keep the canoe upright.

"Link! Please…I'm not a strong swimmer!"

"And I should be concerned because…?"

Adrien's eyes widened as he stared at Link, some semblance of horror gleaming in them.

"You're not better than I am, Link. Wrought with jealousy, anger, and vengeance…and you just close your eyes and refuse to believe it. There are two of us in one boat, and one cannot harm the other without being a hypocrite himself. Maybe the Hylian people saw something in you that made them turn to me…made them more susceptible to what I was doing to them.

"So what will you do, Link?"

Link turned his head away as tears began burning in his eyes, guilt burrowing deep within his veins along with anger. He could feel Tariesk's fingers reaching out to touch him, and he immediately grasped the man's wrist in a vice grip. When he looked back, Tariesk was gawking at him.

"Will you take me back to the shore, Link? I would like to be prosecuted now."

"I'll lead us back," Link murmured. "…But the waves are getting bigger."

Zelda gazed solemnly at the water, Harkinian lingering alongside her. When she could stand the build-up no longer, she leaned over and buried her face in her father's chest as tears flooded out. He wrapped an arm about her as the storm began to subside, shaking his head.

"He's out there, my daughter. You know that fiancée of your's. He is too stubborn to simply give in. He's out there fetching Tariesk, is all."

"Daddy, I have a frightful feeling. I had it an hour ago, for the first time in all of these weeks. A frightful feeling that something has happened to Link."

"You have been wrong before," he said simply. A silence fell between them when one of the sailors gave a mighty cry, gesturing to the water. Harkinian and Zelda immediately arose.

"Seems one of them is drifting in! Poor chap, he might have hypothermia or something."

The sailor leaned over and gathered the floating mass up, carrying the male onto the shoreline where he was set down out of the reach of the water. Something seemed terribly amiss as the soldier shook his head, looking back up to the royal family.

"It's Adrien Tariesk, Sire. He's dead."

Harkinian nodded slowly and wrapped Zelda in his arms as he headed toward the carriage that had waited the whole night through for any sign of Link. Zelda shook her head and wrestled with him.

"Link has got to be out there somewhere, Daddy! He isn't dead! I'll see him again, I know I will! Please, daddy…please let me wait by the shore for him."

Harkinian relinquished and wait by the water Zelda did for hours and hours, and soon days and days. Sometimes the weather was chilly, and sometimes, she could swear that the masculine fisherman she saw emerging from the waters was in fact Link, worn from days out in the rough water. The faces never matched, however, and after a month, she could not escape the hopelessness that gnawed at her soul. As the sun set for another day on Lake Hylia, Zelda arose and fled for home, fearing the day that she would have to move on.


End file.
